Father
by Shadow Kat-Lyn
Summary: A conversation in front of a grave makes one young boy realize that his father maybe- just maybe- might not be as bad as he thought... One-shot, post-series, no true pairings.


_Here lies  
FullMetal Alchemist  
Edward Elric  
1900 - 1923_

_Soldier  
Hero  
Friend  
Brother  
Father_

_In life, an inspiration  
In death, sorely missed_

"Lies." A young blond-haired boy whispered as he read the tombstone in front of him. It was pure white, quite unlike the surrounding ones, and bore the Führer's crest. Someone had cleaned it, evidently, and kept the words from fading as well. "I bet Momma and Uncle Alphonse are the only people who miss 'im."

"Why do you say that?" The boy jumped at the sound of a man's voice behind him, and quickly turned to see an older gentleman walking up the hill to the top of the cemetery, where the boy stood. The boy just turned back to the tombstone.

"He was a State Alchemist and he left us. He went off to war and died, leavin' us all alone."

"He didn't go by choice, and he certainly never wanted to leave you alone." The man, now standing beside the boy in front of the tombstone, said quietly.

"He went against the alchemist's motto of 'Be Thou for the People'!" The man shook his head.

"If there was ever an alchemist who personified that motto, it would have been FullMetal. He did everything for someone else and lived his life based on the motto and equivalent exchange. He was a good man... and he could've changed the world... If he'd of had just a little while longer..." The boy looked up at the man and stayed silent for a few minutes.

"Who cares what you think? I still hate 'im." The man chuckled a bit.

"He hated his father for leaving him too."

"Really? You mean Grandpa Hohenheim?" The boy looked up at the man excitedly. "He lives with us now! He's a great alchemist! He's even been teachin' me." The man raised an eyebrow in surprise at the reversal of emotion, but smiled a bit anyway.

"I doubt FullMetal would have been too happy about that... If he'd of had more time, I bet he would have been a great father to you and your sister. He told me the day you two were born that he didn't want to be like his father."

"What'd Grandpa Hohenheim do?"

"He left when your father was little, because some bad people were after him. Those people are gone now, and I guess Alphonse invited him to live with you, right?" The boy nodded.

"Who are you, anyway?" The man smiled a bit.

"Just an old friend." He smiled and looked back at the tombstone.

"D'you really mean it when you said that he followed the motto?" The boy asked after a minute of silence.

"Without a doubt. FullMetal, for all his aggressiveness and stubbornness, never once used his State Title to do anything but help somebody with it. He gave hope back to the people of Amestris, and he always made sure to help anyone who needed it." The man sighed a bit. "It's a shame, too. Ten years ago everyone knew his name, age, rank, title, birthplace, death place, why and how he died, but now only those who were closest to him even remember him. Even the dedications in Central and East Headquarters have been moved to the side." The man readjusted his hat. "He earned so much, but lost it all... because of me..." The man was very quiet at the end, and the boy didn't hear the last bit.

Silence stretched on for several long minutes, and the wind started to pick up, blowing the boy's long hair into his face. The sun was getting lower in the sky. A bright light shined from the pale-yellow house standing down the road from the cemetery and a woman's voice yelled out "Edward!" The boy looked up at the sound before smiling up at the man.

"Thanks, Old Man. I think I like Dad better now." And with that, the boy ran off toward his house in the distance. The man watched him and smiled sadly.

"I think you'd be proud of him, FullMetal. He's just like you were. He even insulted me." The man took out his silver pocket watch and checked the time. His train would be leaving soon. "I'm sorry it's taken me ten years to get out here to visit you again, but you know how things go in the military... It's the same as ever, mountains of paperwork, even though I'm still only a Colonel..." The man smirked. "I made it to General for a while there, after the war... But the new Führer reorganized the military and demoted me back to Colonel." He sighed before looking down at the house in the distance.

"Even though we always fought, I did care about what happened to you and Alphonse. I should have tried harder to get you to quit the military while you were ahead... but you were just too stubborn." He turned and took a few steps away, but paused and looked back at the white marble. "And you were always supposed to be my subordinate... Lieutenant General Elric." He snapped to attention and saluted the grave before he turned and walked away.

**End**  
...I think I'm finally happy with this one. It took me about four times to get this one written the way I wanted, and I'm really proud of it. I think it might be a little out-of-character, but it's been over thirteen years since the series! I left this story ambiguous on purpose, so you can think of Edward's wife as any female from the series you like.

This one-shot, just for all those people out there that like time-lines, takes place in late summer of 1933. Edward Jr. and his sister are nearly thirteen. The only divergence from canon is that Edward doesn't get killed or sent across the Gate, and both he and Alphonse are restored in this.  
And, just in case anyone missed it, Mustang is the man who talks to Ed Jr.

Be kind & feed plot kitties! Review!

Shadow Kat-Lyn


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